Today, thousands of people have come to Miami to party with the world’s biggest DJ’s and tens of thousands more are watching it all unfold on Ultra’s live stream. This is the first time in five years that I will not be there.
The question that is on a lot of people’s minds- well, according to my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram – is: Where am I?
Well, I am currently at home in LA with zero makeup on and eating junk food. Shhh!
The real reason I am not in Miami is because, with a very heavy heart, I am no longer working with Ultra. If you have followed me on YouTube and social media, you will know that I’ve always wanted to host a travel show. After years and years of hard work, slaving away making YouTube videos for no money, it has finally paid off in the most incredible way: Vacation Creation. I was unable to fulfill my 2016 contract with Ultra due to filming and scheduling conflicts. And with Vacation Creation Season 2 now on the horizon, it’s time to pass the Ultra Live mic on to the very capable hands of Andrea Helfrich and the team at NOMOBO.
Uh. That was hard to write.
Ultra Live and the Ultra Family have been such an integral part of my success as a TV Host. I moved to LA in March of 2011 with nothing but a little bit in savings. I was a few years out of my expensive degree at NYU with barely any hosting credits, but a lot of waitressing experience! I decided that I would give it a year in LA – put everything I had into classes, learning, and auditioning- and if it didn’t work out, I would find a behind-the-scenes job in production.
Exactly a year later – March 2012 – I received an e-mail from this random Dutch guy Charly Friedrichs (aka THE FINAL KID). It was his second e-mail to me as the first one somehow didn’t make it to my inbox. I will never be able to live that down. He asked me if I wanted to host the live stream for Ultra. It was perfect timing as I had always wanted to go. A week later, I was in Miami. He took me under his wing, told me everything I needed to know about the DJ’s and the dance music culture, and together we had the time of our lives and created a live stream that made us proud. I casually mentioned that Ibiza and Buenos Aires were on my bucket list for personal travel, and lo and behold, within a few months I was at both with Ultra.
For the last five years, Ultra Live has been so much more than a job; it’s been a dream life. I’ve traveled the world, met incredible filmmakers, producers, and dj’s, and most importantly, had a family other than my own: The Ultra Family. It has always been the highlight of my year to reconnect with my Dutch production family, my Miami family, my DJ family, and the Ultra fan family. There really is no love like being at an Ultra event.
Here is a big thank you for an incredible five years: Charlie Faibisch, Russell Faibisch, Michael Faibisch, Cesar Rivera, Charly Friedrichs, Damien Pinto, Robert Buisman, Remco Evers, Constantijn van Duren, Sicco Dinnessen, Joost Hoozemans, Marieke Hoogendijk, Omar Peralta, Vinny Palatano, Jonathan Llewellyan, Katie Kansas, Jocelyn Lam, Jordyn Hartlein, Maria Bessonova, Tiago Machado, Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Fedde Le Grand, Dash Berlin, Boris, Nicky Romero, Martin Garrix, Andie Helfrich, Dylan Landon, and the list goes on and on and on. You guys made my life, my job, and career that much better.
And most importantly, thank you to all the Ultranauts who have followed me and supported me these past five years. I hope you have enjoyed the live streams, the interviews, and all the quirky things I did in hopes of entertaining you. I hope that you will continue to support me on this next chapter of my life and career.
When one door closes, another opens, but man, it sure is bittersweet.
xx
